title: Inhaled iloprost in preterm infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many vasodilator drugs, including inhaled iloprost, are used to treat insufficient pulmonary vasodilatation, which is the main issue in pulmonary hypertension in newborns.
  
  
  METHODS
  The safety and efficacy of inhaled iloprost for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension were evaluated retrospectively in 15 preterm infants diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary hypertension.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The infants were unresponsive to surfactant and conventional mechanical ventilation and thus were treated with inhaled iloprost. Oxygenation parameters and hypoxemia improved rapidly after treatment. There was no decline in systemic blood pressure, no need for increased doses of vasopressor, and no side effects during treatment. One patient died of sepsis during treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the treatment of severely sick premature babies with pulmonary hypertension, inhaled iloprost has high tolerability and a low incidence of systemic side effects. Based on the benefits of inhaled iloprost in preterm infants with pulmonary hypertension in this case series, further studies are required to evaluate its efficacy and safety in the preterm population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, District Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Nenehatun Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kahveci
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, District Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cenap
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zeybek
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, District Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciftel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, District Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kilic
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016285:Iloprost / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D010547:Persistent Fetal Circulation Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D016285:Iloprost